Lubbock boy wins area spelling bee

Hutchinson Junior High student Trent Sowell took home first prize in The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal/ Scripps Howard county spelling bee Saturday.

Trent correctly spelled the word "onyx" in the eighth round of competition to win.

Second prize went to Austin Privett of Whiteside Elementary; third went to John Paul Leonard of Irons Junior High; and fourth went to Paulo Valadez of Jackson Elementary.

By winning Saturday's contest, Trent advances to the regional meet, scheduled for March 4 at Cavazos Junior High in Lubbock.

Participants in the county bee were quizzed on words from the 2000 edition of "Paideia," the official spelling bee booklet. Books went on sale in September and have been available for study since then.